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14 July 2014 at 8:16pm

Large majority of Britons support assisted dying

Almost three-quarters of Britons support a change in the law on the right to die, an opinion poll has found.

The survey conducted for ITV's Tonight programme found that 70% would support allowing assisted dying under the measures proposed in the Assisted Dying Bill, while 12% disagreed and 18% said they did not know.

The proposed legislation would enable people with six months to live to be given assistance to end their life, as long as two doctors approved. It will have its second reading debate in the Lords on Friday.

However 47% of the 2049 people surveyed said they believed legalising assisted suicide would "inevitably" lead to some vulnerable people opting to end their lives to avoid becoming a burden on their loved ones.